Operating mechanism for music-boxes



Patented Dec. I3, |898.

L. .,P. vALmuET. UPERATING MECHANISM FDR MUSIC BOXES.

(Application led Mar. 16, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

I iv/en Zar.'

BJ /Z @2 7M/ TH: Nonms PETERS co.. Pxoroumm wAsmNGTcn. ma

Patented nec. I3, |898. L. P. vALmuET. QPERATINGl MECHANISM FOR MUSIC BOXES.

(Application med Mar. 16, 1897A 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

/ In Ve/zia",

(No Model) g l D no., wAsmnnToN D c Patented Dec. I3, |898. L. P. VALIIIUET.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR MUSIU'BOXES.

(Application l'ed Mar. 16|, 1897.)

(no Model.) 3 vSmets-sheet s.

NTTED STATES PATENT Finca,

LOUIS P. VALIQUE'I, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY'.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR' MUSIC-BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,765, dated December 13, 1898.

Application filed March 16, 1897. Serial No. 627,848. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, LOUIS P. VALIQUET, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New'Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Operating Mechanism for Music- Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to operating mechanism for music-boxes and other spring-controlled mechanisms, and particularly to that 'class of music-boxes wherein rotary tune or note sheets, plates, or disks are used to actuate the vibrating tongues or combs, and also to driving or operating mechanism therefor and coin-actuated devices used in connection therewith, and has for its object the Y tion consists in the construction,arrangela detail of my driving-gear.

ment, and operation of parts herein set forth.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of this specification, Figure l represents a plan view of my music-box, partly in section, with the cover removed, and also part of the operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, also partly in section. Figs. 3 and .tare views in section, taken, respectively, on the lines 3 3 and 4f 4, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view in detail of my coinactuated mechanism in operation. Fig. 6 is Fig. 7 is a modified form of a winding device constructed according to my invention, and Fig. Sis a plan of a portion of my bed-plate.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in all the views.

I have found it desirable to construct a music-box of simple construction and that may be wound noiselessly and that also may be controlled either manually or by a coinactuated mechanism or in both these manners, and I have therefore constructed, according to my invention, an organization of the class described embodying the preferred construction of parts and their mutual relationship, combination, arrangement, and organization in a composite body or struc-ture, as hereinafter described.

Referring particularly to the drawings, A denotes the drum of my spring-motor, and a the mainspring thereof. The outer end of the spring a is connected with the drum A, as at a', and the inner end of the same is connected'with the sleeve B of the spindle B of the motor, as at b', the sleeve and spindle being rigidly yet detachably secured together by two pins b2, passing through a boss of the said sleeve. The drum is held on the spindle B by the screw b3 of the retaining-sleeve B5. I thus form a strong inexpensive reliable motor of few parts and so constructed and arranged that the spring a may be detached and replaced by another one at will without disarranging any of the other parts of the mechanism. A pinion O5, on the winding-post C mesheswith the gear B5 of the shaft B, and the said winding-postis prevented from backward movement by the noiselessly-operating detent mechanism, consisting ofthepinion O2, mounted on one end of the friction-plate O', located adjacent to the pinion C5 and hung on the shaft C, the opposite extremity of the same resting, when the spring is being wound up, against the spindle D. When the spring is in the act of being wound up, the rotation of the pinion C5 will cause the friction-plate C to move outwardly and the pinion C2 to swing away from the gear B5. Upon disengaging the key or crank from the windingpost or arbor or upon ceasing to turn the said key in a forward direction the tension of the spring serves to rotate the pinion O5 in a contrary direction and by said reverse movement causes the end of the friction-plate O','

carrying the pinion C2, meshing with the pinion C5, to move inward, and the consequent engagement of both the pinions C5 and O2 with the gear B5 holds the parts from further reverse movement. Y

The gear A4 of the drum A meshes with the pinion D4 of the spindle D, the concentric pinion D2 of which meshes with the pinion E2 of my driving-wheel, which serves to rotate the tune sheet or disk. My driving-wheel consist-s of the regular obliquely-disposed gearteeth E, the central longitudinal planes of which teeth pass, respectively, through the edge ofthe central orifice of said drivingwheel and of two side disks E', the periphery of which registers with the said teeth at the IOO circular pitch. Vhen engaging the teeth h of the tune-sheet l-I, each spur gear-tooth E rolls, as it were, from the pitch-line to the point of the tooth, thus affording an easy smooth action and avoiding the scraping noise occasioned by the use of the ordinary ratchettooth.

The pinion E2 is provided with a hub which passes through the center of said disks and gear and is riveted on the outer face thereof. The driving-wheel and pinion E2 are supported by and pivoted to a bed-plate G, the said pinion E2 engaging the pinion D2 of the movement, which is supported by suitable means within my music-box. It will be observed that the side disks or fianges E of my driving-wheel serve to support the tunedisk II and that a plurality of the gear-teeth E are always in engagement with the teeth 7t,formed upon the edge of the said tune-disk, there ordinarily being three teeth in action, one coming out of the teeth of the tunesheet and one entering the same and the center one pulling the said tune sheet around. Thus as one tooth is always holding the tune-disks until another one engages the same regularity and smoothness of action is secured. The note or tune disk is constructed and arranged to rotate upon a suitable vertical pin or pivot J, provided with a horizontal disk J', which pin .I is supported, together with the star-wheels K, for vibrating the tongues and the guidedisks K by the bed-plate G. The said bedpla-te G is also provided with a bridge G' and with a vertical projection G2, which supports in a pivoted relation a rod or half-tune-disk arm G3, which carries loosely-mounted friction wheels or rollers Grl and a wide frictionwheel G5, located over my driving-wheel, and engages at its free end with the pin J.

The star-wheels K, which contact the vibrating tongues of the comb, are actuated by the teeth h2, of approved form, located in the tune-disk I-I, which works between the wheels Gr-1 and disk J', star-wheels K, guide-disks K, and driving-wheel E. The bed-plate, togeth er with the driving-wheel, l1alf-tune-disk arm, star wheels, and combs, may be removed and replaced at will and are thus independent of the spring-movement. The bed-plate also serves to cover and protect the mechanism located beneath the same. The gear B5 is connected with a suitable train of wheels provided with a governor of approved construction, as B6. rIhe flange A4 of the spring barrel or drum A is provided with a recess as and an enlarged portion or tooth A6. The inner end of a bar-lever L, pivoted to t-he frame of the movement, normally rests in the recess a, the outer extremity of which lever is provided with two depending portions or arms L' L2, the latter of which normally engages the governor BG. The outer depending arm L of the lever L supports in a pivoted relation a `coin-bucket M, provided with a hook M3, normally engaging the detent L3, secured to the movement, and an extension or tailpiece M4, which normally rests against a stationary fixed arm N4, rigidly secured to the movement. A coin-receptacle O is provided with a coin-orifice, beneath which works a horizontally reciprocating coin injector plate O', provided with an orifice which normally registers with the said coin-entrance orifice. Another orifice O2 is located beneath the said discharge-plate and communicates with my coin-chute O3. I also provide my box with manual actuating means, as the push-buttons P P', located at opposite ends of the passive lever P2, held in any desired position by the friction-spring 19. Upon depressing the button P the arm p2 of the same will first disengage the hook M5 from the detent L3, and the adjacent end of the lever P2 will then contact and depress the outer end of the bar-lever L.

It is manifest that various omissions of some particulars could be made without materially affecting the essential features of my invention or the operation of the remaining parts, and I do not therefore wish to be limited to thespeciiic structural details of the organization herein set forth. Obviously the elcments of the structure described may be located at an angle to the plane in which they are shown. I accordingly use the words horizontal, vertical, and the like in a relative sense.

In operation a suitable key or crank is attached to the winding post or arbor and operated to turn the pinion C",which movement, as stated, swings the friction-plate C outward and disengages the pinion C2 and gear B5 while the spring is being wound up. By the use of my detent mechanism in lieu of a pawl and ratchet I secure means for noiselessly winding up my spring. In lieu of the gear C2 I sometimes use a pivoted pawl C12, similarly actuated by a friction-plate C, as shown in Fig. 7. My springdruln and train of wheels connected therewith are normally prevented from rotating by means of the detent-arm L2, which engages the governor Bi. When the cover of the box containing my music mechanism is closed and a coin is inserted in the coin-entrance orifice, by manipulating the reciprocating coin-injector plate O the coin is allowed to drop to the orifice O2 and chute O3 into the bucket M. The spring m, which serves to hold up the bucket, is of such tension as to allow the bucket to move downwardly a short distance when weighted by a coin, thus disengaging the hook M3 from the detent L3. The weight of the coin also causes the outer end of the bar-lever L to fall a short distance, thus disengaging the inner end of the lever from the recess c and the detentarm Lz from the governor B. The mechananism hereinbefore described will now be set in operation, and the same will operate at a uniform rate of speed until the springdrum has made an entire revolution and the lever L, pulled downward by spring Z, drops into the recess c6 again, whereby the parts are IOO stopped. In order to allow the said lever to engage the recess a upon the discharge of the coin from the bucket, I provide upon the periphery of the drum A, as stated, a projection or tooth A6, the engagement with which of the inner end of the lever L causes the outer end of said lever, together with the coin-bucket, to fall, andv the tailpiece M4, thereupon engaging the fixed arm N4, causes Io the bucket M to lrota-te on its pivot, and thus `to depress the mouth of the bucket sufficiently to allow the coin therein contained to fall into the money-receptacle below. In case it is desired to actuate the music-box manually, I ordinarily open the cover of the box and depress the button P, which movement serves to disengage the hook M3 from the detent L3, and also to depress the outer end of the lever L and to withdraw the detent L2 from the governor B6, thus starting the parts. If the button P is not moved again and the passive lever P2 remains stationary, the parts will not cease their movement at the expiration of one revolution of the drum A, which coincides with the playingof a single tune, but will continue in operation until the spring has run down. If, however, after the button P has been depressed the button P is pushed down,

the end of the lever P2 adjacent to the barlever L will be raised and will allow the extremity of the lever L adjacent to the recess a6 to fall into the same by means of its own weight, which action may be supplemented by a spring l, if desired, thus stopping the parts at the end of the tune.

The locking-arm M3 serves to prevent the automatic mechanism from being set in operation by jarring or pounding the music-box, and after the mechanism is once set in oper- 45 ation the said arm M3 engages with the detent L3 again after the parts are stopped automatically in the manner hereinbefore described.

As it is evident that many changes in the construction and relative arrangement of parts might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, I would have it understood that I do not restrict myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but that such changes and equivalents may be substituted therefor.

-While parts are shown and described that relate to music-boxes and coin-chutes, they are not intended to be claimed in this application.

What I claim as my invention is-n l. A Winding-post,a gear of a train of wheels and a spring to control the same, a pinion in mesh with the gear and supported on said winding-post, a friction device located adjacent to said pinion, a pivoted detent adapted to be actuated by the winding-post pinion and to engage the said train-gear to lock the parts.

2. The combination, in a spring-movement, of a winding-spindle, a sleeve provided with a boss the said boss being secured to the winding-spindle with pins, a spring drum or barrel to rotate on said sleeve, and held against inward movement by said boss, the said drum being provided wit-h a recess, and also of a train of Wheels and a governor and of a pivoted lever to engage the said recess and the governor.

3. The combination, in a spring-movement, of a spring barrel or drum, a spring, a sleeve, secured to the spring in the barrel, the outer end of the sleeve securedto the winding-spindle, with two pins and a retaining-sleeve to hold the spring-drum on said spindle, the said drum being provided with a recess, and of a train of wheels and a governor, and a pivoted lever to engage the said recess and the governor and of two push-buttons, and also of a lever controlled by two push-buttons at opposite ends thereof.

4. The combination,in a spring-movement, of 'a spring barrel or drum, a spring, a sleeve secured to the spring in the barrel, the outer end of the sleeve secured to the winding-spindle with pins and a retaining-sleeve to hold the spring-drum on said spindle, the said drum being provided with a recess, and of a train of wheels and a governor, and a pivoted lever to engage the said recess and the governor, and of two push-buttons and also of a pinion located on a Winding-post, a friction device supported by said pinion, and a pivoted gear carried by said friction device to engage the winding-gear.

5. A movement, a detent-lever to engage the periphery of a rotatable part actuated by said movement, a lever, two passive push-buttons, each connected to said lever on opposite sides of the pivot thereof, said lever being constructed and arranged to be engaged with the outer end of said detent-lever to disengage the same from said periphery by manipulating one of said push-buttons, and said lever to be disengaged from same by manually actuating the other push-buttonA 6. The combination,in a spring-movement, of a spring barrel or drum, a spring, a sleeve, secured to the spring in the barrel, the outer end of the sleeve secured to the windingspindle with two pins, and a retaining-sleeve to hold the spring-drum on said spindle, and of a detent-lever to engage the periphery of a rotatable part actuated by said movement, a lever andtwo passive push-buttons, each connected to said lever on opposite sides of the pivot thereof said lever being constructed and arranged to he engaged With the outer end of the detent-lever to disengage the same from said periphery by manipulating one of the push-buttons, and to be disengaged from said lever by manually actuating the other push-button.

7. A Winding-post, a gear, a spring to control the same, a pinion in mesh with the said gear, and located on said winding-post, a friction device adjacent to and constructed and arranged to be moved back and forth by said IOO IIO

tgo

pinion, and a pivoted gear carried by said friction device to mesh with said pinion, and to be engaged with and disengaged from the first-named gear by manipulating the Winding-post.

8. A movement, a rotated drum, a detentlever, pivoted to the movement to engage the periphery of said rotatable drum, a lever, two passive push-buttons, each connected to said lever, on oppositesides of the pivot thereof, a passive rock-bar to engage the outer end of said lever to disengage the same from said drum, by manipulating one of the pushbuttons and to be disengaged from the said lever by manually actuating the other pushbutton.

9. The combination,in a spring-1n ovement, of a drum A, a spring a, a sleeve 13' secured to the spring in the barrel, the outer end of the sleeve being secured to the winding-spindle B, With pins Z22, and of a retaining-sleeve B3, to hold the spring-drum on said spindle,

in combination with a winding-post, a pinion located on said Winding-post, a friction device adjacent to said pinion, and a pivoted gear carried by said friction device, to mesh With said pinion, and to engage the windinggear.

10. A Winding-post, a gear, and a spring to control the same, a pinion in mesh with the gear and supported on said Winding-post, a friction device located adjacent to said pinion', a pivoted rotary detent controlled by said friction device to engage the Windingpost pinion and normally to mesh With the first-named gear.

In testimony of the foregoing specication I do hereby sign the same, in the city of lloboken, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, this 12th day of March, A. D. 1807.

LOUIS l). VALIQUET.

Vitnesses:

J. GDELL- FoWLER, Jr., JESSE C. HANSEE. 

